Milton and Theresa Martinez have been working as a silversmith team for as long as they have been associated with The Navajo Co-op. Each has special talents that they combine to produce exceptional pieces of jewelry. Usually Theresa, pictured to the right, designs the patterns and cuts the pieces and Milton solders layers of silver together and pounds the shape of each piece.

Recently the Martinez's were kind enough to invite us into their home where we were able to see the creation of a storyteller bracelet from start to finish. It is a complex process that requires skill, patience and quite a bit of finesse. The storyteller bracelet starts in the sketchbook. A drawing of the design for the bracelet is then attached to a flat strip of sterling silver. Using a very fine blade, Theresa cuts the design out of the silver. A great deal of dexterity and practice is needed to successfully complete this stage of the process.

After applying flux to the silver cutout and a second flat piece of silver, Milton uses an acetylene torch to join the two pieces into one. This gives the storyteller bracelets their stunning three-dimensional quality. The piece is then soaked and hand-filed of any rough edges. Next,the silver is buffed to bring out its luster.

The final steps to shape the bracelet require a strong and firm hand. The still flat bracelet is wrapped in a soft cloth and taken to an anvil with a concave surface. The bracelet is pounded with a convex mallet to give it a rounded shape. The final details are applied with long, thin stamping tools. You can see the stunning storyteller bracelets on the Bracelets web page.

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